LeBron James backs Shannon Sharpe after his spat with Memphis ...

22 Jan 2023
Shannon Sharpe
LeBron James backs Shannon Sharpe after his spat with Memphis Grizzlies stars during Lakers' win... while Ja Morant's dad insists he 'has nothing but love' for the FOX Sports host, despite the heated confrontationLeBron James says that Sharpe is 'my guy' and that he 'ride[s] with Shannon'Sharpe and Grizzlies players and relatives had a verbal altercation Friday nightClick here for all your latest international Sports news from DailyMail.com 

By Jake Fenner For Dailymail.Com

Published: 16:49 GMT, 21 January 2023 | Updated: 19:44 GMT, 21 January 2023

LeBron James made it clear which side he's on after a spat between FS1 host Shannon Sharpe and members of the Memphis Grizzlies at halftime of their game against the Lakers.

James vocally supported Sharpe after the game, saying he backs the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame tight end.

'I ride with Shannon 365 days — 366 on a leap year — 24/7. So that's my guy,' James said after the game. 

'I always got his back and he's got mine. He can talk with the best of them, for sure.'

LeBron James voiced his support for Shannon Sharpe after Friday's game vs. Memphis

FS1 host and former NFL player Shannon Sharpe had to be restrained by security at Friday's Lakers-Grizzlies game in LA after a verbal confrontation with Memphis players at halftime

Sharpe was seen shouting at Grizzlies veteran Dillon Brooks as players headed toward the locker rooms. 

Memphis center Steven Adams appeared to take offense and confronted the 54-year-old Sharpe, who refused to back down. Meanwhile, Grizzlies staffers tried in vain to hold back the 6-foot-11, 265-pound Adams.

Furthermore, Grizzlies star Ja Morant and his father, Tee, were involved in the incident, which never turned physical. 

'They didn't want this smoke,' Sharpe told ESPN's Dave McMenamin before returning to his seat for the third quarter. 'They do all that talking and jockeying and I ain't about that jockeying.'

Sharpe was seen chirping with Grizzlies SF Dillon Brooks as players headed to the locker rooms

Sharpe, a Hall-of-Fame tight end, blamed the incident on Brooks, telling McMenamin, 'It started with Dillon Brooks. I said he was too small to guard LeBron. He said, ''F***'' me. I said, ''F***'' you back.

'He started to come at me and I said, ''You don't want these problems.'' And then Ja came out of nowhere talking.

'He definitely didn't want these problems. Then the dad came and he obviously didn't want to problems. But I wanted anything they had. Don't let these fools fool you now.'

Sharpe (circled) blamed the incident on Brooks, who he called out for being 'too small'

After the game, Tee Morant said that the incident between the two had blown over and that he had 'nothing but love' for Sharpe and that they are good.

'Shannon didn't do anything,' Tee Morant told ESPN. 'Hey, he was doing like we do in South Carolina. We talk our s---. ... South Carolina, stand up!' 

Both Tee and Sharpe have roots playing sports in the South for historically black colleges and universities.

Tee grew up playing basketball and was a high school teammate of Ray Allen, who went on to the University of Connecticut and then to the NBA - where he won multiple titles and became a Basketball Hall-of-Famer.   

After playing college ball for Claflin University, Tee played semi-professionally and considered going overseas to play, but abandoned that once Ja's mother became pregnant.

Sharpe (center) and Tee Morant (in royal blue) directed shouts and insults at each other too

Eventually, the pair patched things up - hugging after the half with Tee saying they 'are good'

Sharpe played football, basketball, and competed in track and field for Savannah State University in Georgia. 

From there, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos and won two Super Bowls in the Mile High City - before going on to win another with the Baltimore Ravens.

In addition to the titles, Sharpe was a four-time first-team All-Pro player and made the Pro Bowl eight times. 

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